Bender for wire or flat stock

ABSTRACT

A small bender designed to perform the accurate bending of metal or thermo-plastic round or flat stock; worm-gear means for adjusting the lever stop pin to various angular positions; means for adjusting the width of the stock-receiving space; and means for controlling the extent of the bending stroke of the lever in accordance with the degree of resiliency of the stock.

Unite States Patent 1 Del Monica BENDER FOR WIRE OR FLAT STOCK [76] Inventor: Peter P. Del Monica, 10 London Drive, Bordentown, NJ. [22] Filed: May 10, 1971 [21] App1.No.: 141,843

[52] US. Cl. ..72/388, 72/32, 72/458, 72/461 [51] Int. Cl ..B21d 9/05, B2lj 13/08 [58] Field of Search ..72/32, 31, 319, 217, 72/35, 388, 458, 459, 461

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,538,737 11/1970 Del Monica.; ..72/32 2,414,926 1/1947 Burke r ..72/217 1,889,239 11/1932 Crowley ..72/35 1,319,798 10/1919 Satterlee .....72/388 1,425,261 8/1922 Kardong ..72/388 [4 1 May 1,1973

1,277,234 8/1918 McKenna ..72/458 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 696,006 12/ l 930 France ..72/388 1,935,120 1/1971 Germany ....72/319 837,898 4/1958 Great Britain ..72/217 Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant ExizminerM. J. Keenan Attorney-Albert Sperry et a1.

[ 5 7] ABSTRACT A small bender designed to perform the accurate bending of metal or thermo-plastic round or flat stock; worm-gear means for adjusting the lever stop pin to various angular positions; means for adjusting the width of the stock-receiving space; and means for controlling the extent of the bending stroke of the lever in accordance with the degree of resiliency of the stock.

9 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures Patented May 1, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Pefer- P De] Mon/ab KITTQENEX BENDER FOR WIRE OR FLAT STOCK This invention relates to benders for wire or rod and flat linear stock, of the general type involving a horizontal base and a bending lever pivotally mounted thereon and having therein an annular row of sockets or other means for supporting a stop pin for the bending lever in either of various selective angular bends of the linear stock.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a small, inexpensive bender of the character mentioned designed for the accurate bending of metal or thermo-plastic round or flat stock to any desired angle, and of an attractive appearance to barmonize with school rooms, desks or tables without detracting from their general appearance.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a small bender of the type mentioned with wormgear means for adjusting the lever stop-pin to various angular positions.

Another important object of the invention is to provide in a small bender of the type mentioned convenient means for adjusting the width of the stockreceiving space.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent or pointed out in the following specification in which reference is directed to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, and in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one specific form of bender in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the bender shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1 with a length of flat stock in position for bend- 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4, without the flat stock and showing a partial top plan view of the bender with the bending lever in its starting position, and the stock shown in broken lines;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section similar to FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 7 7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view similar to FIG. 5 but with annularly spaced sockets to receive the lever stop pin;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the lever stop pin in one of its associated sockets in the top of the bender base;

FIG. 10 is a detail sectional view of one of the screws' for adjusting the width of the stock receiving space;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary end view of a bender provided with an eccentric type clamp for clamping the rod or flat stock against the bending lever pivot pin;

FIG. 12 is a side elevation ofFlG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a vertical fragmentary section taken on the line 13-13 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of an elongated linear scale with an adjustable end abutment for a length of stock; and

FIG. 15 is a-detail section ofthe adjustable abutment.

Referring to the drawings in which like numerals designate like parts or elements in the several views, and referring first to the form of my invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the form of my improved bender illustrated in said views includes an elongated rectangular base member 10 having a top surface 12 in one horizontal plane for supporting wire, rod, or flat stock in position for the bending operation, and a forward surface 14 in a lower horizontal plane upon which the front end portion of the bending lever 16 is seated in a vertically edgewise position so that the portion of the stock projecting forwardly from the higher surface 12 to be bent will be above the bottom edge of the bending lever 16 for free abutment against a stop pin at the end of a bending stroke.

The front end and adjacent sides: of the bending lever 16 are in rectangular relation with an elongated support 18 of rectangular cross-sectional shape projecting vertically from the front end of the higher surface 12 and having a forwardly projecting flat portion 20 at its upper end in a plane for closely overlying the top of the lever 16, and having a laterally projecting, integral lug 22 above the uppermost of a pair of forwardly projecting lugs 24 on the lever 16 in vertically spaced relation, all of said lugs having vertically aligned bores through which a pivot pin 26 for the lever 16 extends.

Below the horizontal top 28 of the base 10 is a disk 30 rotatably mounted on the pivot pin 26. A lever stop pin 32 is vertically mounted on the top margin of said disk and projects upwardly through an annular slot 34 in the top 28 of the base 10. A worm gear 36 may be formed integrally with and below the disk 30, or otherwise rigidly carried thereby in mesh with a worm 38 mounted on a shaft 40 which extends transversely below the top 28 of the basemember 10, through the frontal wall 41 and bearings 40a and having a crank 42 outside of said wall for rotating the shaft 40 and the disk 30 together with the stop pin 32 to selected angle indicators 44 and 46, which can be varied as may be desired. Since the stop pin 32 projects above the top 28 of the base 10, a recess 48 (FIG. I) is formed in the edge of the higher surface 12 to permit the stop pin to pass through. An undercut recess 50 is formed in a forward bottom edge of the bending lever 16, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 7. This recess has an adjustable screw 52, shown more clearly in FIG. 7, for limiting or extending the bending stroke of the lever 16, as, for ex ample, by this means if the stock is very resilient allowance can be made for the spring back to ensure that the stock is bent to the precise angle intended.

The width of the space 54 for receiving the stock 56 (FIG. 4) may be varied as desired by means of metal plates 58 and 60 (FIGS. 5, 8 and 13), slidably mounted in recesses 62 and 64 in the respective abutting face of the vertical support 18 and that ofthe bending lever 16. Since the adjusting movement of the plates 58 and 60 is only forwardly the adjustment is easily effected by small screws 66 and a socket 68 (FIG. 10).

Any suitable type of linear scale 70 for gauging the lengths of the bent sections of stock 56 may be employed.

In FIGS. 8 and 9 is shown another form of my invention in which the worm gear for adjusting the position of the lever stop pin 72 is omitted and the stop pin is selectively inserted in a selected one of an annular row of sockets 72 in the top 28 of the base member 10.

In FIGS. 11 and 12 are shown detail views of a bender provided with a cylindrical member 76 having a handle 78 and eccentrically journaled in a lug 80 projecting from the top end of the vertical support 180 for clamping the stock 56 against the pivot pin 26.

In FIGS. 14 and 15 are shown on elongated scale 82 having an adjustable abutment 84 guided in the central slot 86 and clamped in adjusted position by a headed screw 86.

The plates 58 and 60 may be locked in adjusted positions by means of screws 88 projecting through the top of the vertical support 18.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that l have added a number of structural features of improvement to small benders of the type disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,737, and that said features of improvement do not constitute an aggregation for the reason that any one or all of said features when embodied in the bender are cooperative either with one another or with certain features of construction already embodied in an original design of bender.

Although the several new features shown and described are quite simple in construction and operation or function they are important in that they enable the manufacturer to produce special benders for bending various kinds and sizes of linear stock at very small cost for the changes in or additions to bender already on the market.

Various other detail changes or additions may be made in my improved bender without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments of my invention shown and described are intended to be illustrative only and restricted only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a bender for bending round or flat linear stock to various predetermined angles, said bender including a base member having a rectangular, horizontal top surface for supporting thereon the stock to be bent, a vertically elongated support of rectangular cross-sectional shape projecting upwardly from said top surface, a lever pivot pin mounted vertically on the inner side of said support with a space therebetween for close fitting relation with the stock to be bent, a bending lever having a vertical rectangular portion of substantial height and narrow width mounted on said pivot pin with its lower edge rotatably seated on said top surface of the base member, the forward side of said vertical support functioning as a stop for said bending lever when the latter is in the starting position of a bending stroke, in which position a frontal surface of said lever is in alignment with the frontal surface of said support: means for varying the limit of the pivotal forward or bending stroke of the bending lever, said means comprising an under-cut recess in the forward lower portion of the bending lever forming a vertical rear wall, and an adjustable screw projecting forwardly through said wall for abutment against a lever stop pin projecting above the top surface of said base member.

2. A bender as in claim 1 and including means for clamping the stock against the vertical support during the bending operation, said means comprising a cylindrical member having a laterally projecting handle and mounted eccentrically in a lug projecting inwardly from the top end of said vertical support.

3. A bender as in claim 1 and including means for varying the width of the stock receiving space between the vertical support and lever pivot pm, said means comprising an elongated plate mounted in a recess in the inner face of the vertical support and screw means in said support in abutment against the back of said plate for forcing it toward said pivot pin.

4. A bender as in claim 1 in which the base member has a frontal vertical wall through which projects a horizontal shaft having thereon a worm in mesh with a worm gear connected to a horizontal disk upon which is mounted a lever stop pin, said pin projecting upwardly through an arcuate slot in the top of the base member to a plane above its top surface, the stop pin being shiftable by means of a crank connected to said horizontal shaft to any desired angular position for abutment against the bending lever at the end of its bending stroke.

5. A bender as in claim 1 and including an elongated linear scale having an adjustable abutment on its top surface and a headed screw for clamping to the body member.

6. A bender as in claim 3 and including also a space varying plate in a recess in the front end of the bending lever.

7. A bender as in claim 3 and including vertical screws in the vertical support engaging the tops of the space varying plates to lock them firmly in adjusted positions.

8. The bender of claim 2 including a clamping pin mounted in said lug against which the stock is clamped, said clamping pin and said pivot pin aligned generally parallel with a side of said support to define a stock receiving slot parallelly aligned with said side of said support.

9. The bender of claim 8 including means for varying the width of the stock receiving space between the vertical support arid lever pivot pin, said means comprising an elongated plate mounted in a recess in the inner face of the vertical support and screw means in said support in abutment against the back ofsaid plate for forcing it toward said pivot pin, a space varying plate in a recess in the front end of the bending lever, said base member includes a vertical wall through which projects a horizontal shaft having thereon a worm in mesh with a worm gear connected to a horizontal disc upon which is mounted a lever stop pin, said pin projecting upwardly through an arcuate slot in the top of the base member to a plane above its top surface, the stop pin being shiftable by means of a crank connected to said horizontal shaft to any desired angular position for abutment against the bending lever at the end of its bending stroke, an elongated linear scale having an adjustable abutment in its top surface and a headed screw for clamping to the body member. and vertical screws in the vertical support engaging the tops of the space varying plates to lock them firmly in adjusted positions. 

1. In a bender for bending round or flat linear stock to various predetermined angles, said bender including a base member having a rectangular, horizontal top surface for supporting thereon the stock to be bent, a vertically elongated support of rectangular cross-sectional shape projecting upwardly from said top surface, a lever pivot pin mounted vertically on the inner side of said support with a space therebetween for close fitting relation with the stock to be bent, a bending lever having a vertical rectangular portion of substantial height and narrow width mounted on said pivot pin with its lower edge rotatably seated on said top surface of the base member, the forward side of said vertical support functioning as a stop for said bending lever when the latter is in the starting position of a bending stroke, in which position a frontal surface of said lever is in alignment with the frontal surface of said support: means for varying the limit of the pivotal forward or bending stroke of the bending lever, said means comprising an under-cut recess in the forward lower portion of the bending lever forming a vertical rear wall, and an adjustable screw projecting forwardly through said wall for abutment against a lever stop pin projecting above the top surface of said base member.
 2. A bender as in claim 1 and including means for clamping the stock against the vertical support during the bending operation, said means comprising a cylindrical member having a laterally projecting handle and mounted eccentrically in a lug projecting inwardly from the top end of said vertical support.
 3. A bender as in claim 1 and including means for varying the width of the stock receiving space between the vertical support and lever pivot pin, said means comprising an elongated plate mounted in a recess in the inner face of the vertical support and screw means in said support in abutment against the back of said plate for forcing it toward said pivot pin.
 4. A bender as in claim 1 in which the base member has a frontal vertical wall through which projects a horizontal shaft having thereon a worm in mesh with a worm gear connected to a horizontal disk upon which is mounted a lever stop pin, said pin projecting upwardly through an arcuate slot in the top of the base member to a plane above its top surface, the stop pin being shiftable by means of a crank connected to said horizontal shaft to any desired angular position for abutment against the bending lever at the end of its bending stroke.
 5. A bender as in claim 1 and including an elongated linear scale having an adjustable abutment on its top surface and a headed screw for clamping to the body member.
 6. A bender as in claim 3 and including also a space varying plate in a recess in the front end of the bending lever.
 7. A bender as in claim 3 and including vertical screws in the vertical support engaging the tops of The space varying plates to lock them firmly in adjusted positions.
 8. The bender of claim 2 including a clamping pin mounted in said lug against which the stock is clamped, said clamping pin and said pivot pin aligned generally parallel with a side of said support to define a stock receiving slot parallelly aligned with said side of said support.
 9. The bender of claim 8 including means for varying the width of the stock receiving space between the vertical support and lever pivot pin, said means comprising an elongated plate mounted in a recess in the inner face of the vertical support and screw means in said support in abutment against the back of said plate for forcing it toward said pivot pin, a space varying plate in a recess in the front end of the bending lever, said base member includes a vertical wall through which projects a horizontal shaft having thereon a worm in mesh with a worm gear connected to a horizontal disc upon which is mounted a lever stop pin, said pin projecting upwardly through an arcuate slot in the top of the base member to a plane above its top surface, the stop pin being shiftable by means of a crank connected to said horizontal shaft to any desired angular position for abutment against the bending lever at the end of its bending stroke, an elongated linear scale having an adjustable abutment in its top surface and a headed screw for clamping to the body member, and vertical screws in the vertical support engaging the tops of the space varying plates to lock them firmly in adjusted positions. 